PODIUM JOY FOR ELLISON AT OULTON
Hydrex Bike Animal Honda rider James Ellison recorded his
and the team's best result with a superb second place at the
Bennetts British Superbike Championship meeting held at Oulton
Park today.
The 27 year old from Kendal in Cumbria qualified on row three
of the grid and after weather conditions intervened in the
opening race causing a red flag, he eventually posted eighth
position to add to his two sevenths at Thruxton in the previous
round.
But with a completely dry track for the second race in front
of yet another massive bank holiday crowd, Ellison circulated
with the leading pack in the opening stages as he battled
with Leon Haslam, Cal Crutchlow and Tom Sykes and looked set
to claim a good top five position.
However on lap eleven Haslam and Sykes collided leaving Ellison
to climb the order and when Crutchlow crashed as well that
elevated him to second position and as a result he maintains
his fifth position in the Championship with the runner up
placing.
For team mate Guy Martin it wasn't such a good weekend and
after falling off in qualifying injuring his wrist he managed
twelfth in race one, but in race two he encountered a problem
which caused him to retire on lap seven leaving him in fourteenth
position in the Championship.
The next round of the Championship takes place next weekend
at Brands Hatch on 10th and 11th May.
James Ellison: "I'm really happy. We've
worked hard all weekend and just got better and better and
we've now reached that extra level. We plugged away and we
improved in certain areas and we put it all together in the
race. I still have some small problems which we'll get ironed
out for Brands. When Shakey passed me he dragged me back up
so I think I definitely had the pace to finish second. It
was nice to finish where we did and I'm looking forward to
Brands Hatch as the bike is working well."
Guy Martin: "I was over the moon at
Thruxton, the bike was getting there and just needed polishing
off a little bit, but we've been trying the new front forks
again but they haven't worked for me this weekend. Everyone
is working really hard and hopefully we'll get sorted at Brands.
But we live and learn and if it was easy then everyone would
be doing it!"
Shaun Muir (Team Owner): "I'm obviously
delighted for everyone and their hard work. It was great that
James hung on in there and kept the early lap pace. It's the
first time we have ridden on a technical track like this in
the dry and I'm completely vindicated in signing James this
year. We've proved how much experience James has and I think
the series is a lot better with his talent in it. We just
need to build on this and keep putting the points in and we
might be in a top championship position by the end of the
season. Guy has struggled a little and he pulled in the second
race so he can re-group for Brands and take it from there.
I'd like to say thanks to the sponsors and everyone for their
hard work."
Superbike Race One Result
1, Shane Byrne (Ducati) 32m29.161s, 2, Leon Haslam (Honda)
+0.204s, 3, Leon Camier (Ducati) +2.604s, 4, Michael Rutter
(Ducati) +11.495s, 5, Tom Sykes (Suzuki) +20.015s, 6, Cal
Crutchlow (Honda) +22.023s, 7, Michael Laverty (Suzuki) +37.259s,
8, James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +39.322s, 9, Tristan
Palmer (Honda) +54.028s, 10, Stuart Easton (Kawasaki) +57.885s,
11, Scott Smart (Kawasaki) +1m04.599s, 12, Guy Martin (Hydrex
Bike Animal Honda) +1m15.442s.
Superbike Race Two Result (Pending an Appeal with
Leon Haslam and Tom Sykes)
1, Shane Byrne (Ducati) 21m13.862sm 2, James Ellison (Hydrex
Bike Animal Honda) +4.247s, 3, Leon Camier (Ducati) +8.027s,
4, Leon Haslam (Honda) +8.152s, 5, Michael Laverty (Suzuki)
+1lap, 6, Stuart Easton (Kawasaki) +1lap, 7, Michael Rutter
(Ducati) +1lap, 8, Simon Andrews (Yamaha) +1lap, 9, Scott
Smart (Kawasaki) +1lap, 10, Atsushi Watanabe (Suzuki) +1lap.
2008 Bennetts British Superbike Championship Standings
after Round 3
(Pending an Appeal with Leon Haslam and Tom Sykes)
1, Shane Byrne (Ducati) 95 pts
2, Leon Camier (Ducati) 56pts
3, Cal Crutchlow (Honda) 55pts
4, Michael Rutter (Ducati) 54pts
5, Leon Haslam (Honda) 46pts
=, James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) 46pts
7, Michael Laverty (Suzuki) 37pts
8, Stuart Easton (Kawasaki) 33pts
9, Tom Sykes (Suzuki) 29pts
10, Tristan Palmer (Honda) 17pts
14, Guy Martin (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) 12pts
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